The invention relates to systems and methods for reducing excess capacity for restaurants and other industries during off-peak and other times.
Among the many challenges that restaurants face are the challenges of reducing excess capacity during off-peak times and the general lack of customer level information. Restaurants typically have a fixed number of seats. During certain periods there is greater demand for those seats than others. At some times there are people waiting to get seated (for example, on weekend evenings during dinnertime) and at other times there are unused seats (for example, 4-7 p.m. during the week). Typically unused seats translate to lost sales for a restaurant.
Many restaurants do not have detailed information about their customers. This lack of information is a lost opportunity. Typically, restaurants advertise through mass market media (TV, radio, newspapers, etc.). However, this is not the most efficient way to advertise.
These and other drawbacks and challenges face the restaurant industry. Similar problems are faced by other industries that have excess capacity issues.
An object of the invention is to overcome these and other drawbacks and challenges facing the restaurant and other industries.
Another object of the invention is to provide a website that enables a restaurant to offer (e.g., auction) gift certificates usable during a predetermined period of time (for example, corresponding to a known off-peak period) to enable customers or potential customers to obtain (e.g., bid on) these certificates. According to one embodiment, a minimum price is set for a certificate having a predetermined face value and it is awarded to the highest bidder.
According to another aspect of the invention, a user must register with the website and provide certain identification and demographic information during a registration process before being able to obtain a certificate. This enables restaurants to obtain more information about customers or potential customers who are likely to be influenced by marketing campaigns.
According to other features of the invention, the website may further comprise an interactive restaurant guide, a recipe center, a chat/message board, a gifts center, and an award and referral center. Other features and functions may also be included.
According to one embodiment, the web site enables a user to participate in an auction for one or more gift certificates or merchandise. To facilitate the ability of a user to find an auction of interest, various search tools may be provided. For example, a user may be able to search for auctions for a particular restaurant, for a desired cuisine in a desired city, by zip code or other geographic area, or other search parameters. Additionally, or alternatively, the web site may include a listing of types of cuisine, cities, etc., that a user may select (e.g., by clicking on an icon) to view a listing of auctions relevant to that user. Thus, with these or other tools, a user may browse and select an auction of interest and then participate in one or more desired auctions.
According to one aspect of the invention, auctions may be arranged in various ways. For example, there may be a featured auction area that highlights certain auctions. Various organizational techniques can be used for listing and displaying auctions.
Typically, an auction display will include the name of the restaurant, a description of the certificate being auctioned (for example, promotional material regarding the restaurant or a specific feature of the restaurant), the time period for which the certificate is valid (e.g., Monday only, Monday-Thursday, Monday-Thursday 4-7 p.m., etc.), the value of the certificate (for example, $50.00), any minimum bid, the status of the auction, and other desired information. For example, the status may include the current bid and the time left to bid. Multiple certificates may be auctioned with the same or similar parameters. Also, a user may obtain additional information relating to an auction of interest.
According to another aspect of the invention, a comprehensive interactive restaurant guide is provided. Users may browse by area, cuisine or other parameters when looking for a place to eat. The restaurant guide listings may offer a brief description of restaurants, a community rating (described below), the number and details of current auctions, and other pertinent information.
Preferably, the auction system may be set up with affiliate members, for example, restaurants. According to one embodiment, only affiliate member restaurants are listed in the restaurant guide. According to another embodiment, a broader range of restaurants (or other establishments) may be included.
For example, the guide listing may include the current number of auctions, the name of the restaurant, address, phone number and other information about the restaurant, a description of the restaurant food and other characteristics, and a community rating (such as a star system and/or relative cost index). If a listed restaurant has its own web site, a hyper-link between the restaurant listing and that restaurant""s web site may also be provided. If the restaurant is part of a chain or related organizations, the link may be to the chain""s home page or one of the related organization""s home page.
Alternatively, or in addition thereto, each restaurant in the guide may have a link to a detailed page on the restaurant auction web site described herein. By clicking on the restaurant or the link, a user may read about the restaurant and contribute to restaurant ratings and reviews, based on their own experiences with the restaurant. They can also check for other detailed information such as parking availability, payment types accepted, handicap accessibility, hours of operation, reservation information, menu information, etc. By enabling users to contribute restaurant ratings and reviews, the rating system becomes interactive and adds significant value.
By maintaining a listing of individuals who provide rating and reviews and tracking demographic profile information based on the user, a database may be created to enable the web site to suggest to users other restaurants they may like based on similarity of preferences with other users who have provided reviews.
To participate in an auction, the user may click on an auction icon from a restaurant listing or a restaurant detailed page. The user can bid in a variety of ways. For example, the user can monitor the bids and periodically revise the bid the user is willing to make. Preferably, any user placing a bid first registers and provides payment information, demographics, contact information and other information that may be desirable.
An auto bid feature, also referred to as proxy bidding, may be used to enable the user to submit a maximum bid. The system then bids for the user in small increments (preferably specified by the user) starting with the bid minimum.
According to another embodiment of the invention, if multiple certificates are awarded from one auction, a dutch auction technique may be used so that the closing price is equal to the lowest winning bid.
As an enticement for, users to provide demographic and other information, a personalized page feature may be used for each registered individual. For example, registered users may set up personalized auction lists, check on their rewards, access member support services and other services and features. For example, a xe2x80x9cmy auctionsxe2x80x9d portion of the personalized pages may enable the user to monitor his or her current bids or create and browse through custom auction lists.
A xe2x80x9cmy rewards portionxe2x80x9d may be provided to facilitate a loyalty or affinity program for repeat users. This aspect of the invention may enable points or other benefits to be accumulated by users. For example, in addition to providing points for users who participate in auctions, points or other credits may be provided to users who are responsible for having restaurants join the program or other users register with the program. Various awards and rewards based on points may be provided on-line or off-line.
The personalized page may also include a xe2x80x9cmy profilexe2x80x9d section. This section enables the user to enter, review, and update personal information preferences and other information to enable customized information to be obtained about and provided to the user. For example, targeted marketing techniques may be used to inform the user of auctions or other promotions that may be of interest to the user. The targeted marketing and promotions may be based on the user""s specified preferences. In addition, an on-line support feature may also be provided.
Another portion of the web site includes a restaurant management feature. This feature enables participating restaurants to create auctions, manage auctions, and monitor the results of auctions. This portion of the web site may include various features such as a product feature, a services feature, a partners"" feature, and the other features. For example, restaurants that have registered with the web site may view customized web pages that provide access to their auction postings, customer information, certificate sales history and member support. For example, the auction postings feature may enable the restaurant to create new options, delete or modify existing options and track current bids. A xe2x80x9cmy customersxe2x80x9d portion may enable a user to view aggregate, or permit specific data on customers, including demographic information, dining frequency and other user information. As detailed below, these and other features may be incorporated into a data warehouse to enable more sophisticated analysis and targeted marketing.
A promotion feature of the auction manger may be used to facilitate marketing and promotion campaigns. For example, based on user profile information, and user address information (for example, e-mail) targeted marketing campaigns may be effectively implemented.
A sales history portion of the auction manager may enable restaurants to track sales and bids to date. For restaurants and restaurant chains, this information may be provided by days, weeks, months, store region, etc. An account feature of the auction manager enables restaurants to view their account status with the web site. For example, according to one business method, the web site operator may collect a fee for each certificate sold or each certificate posted. Various techniques for collecting the fee may be implemented.
According to one embodiment, the restaurant is billed on-line or off-line for each certificate successfully offered by the restaurant. According to another embodiment, the web site operator may charge successful bidders directly, keep a service fee, and provide the remaining balance to the restaurant. Various other alternatives for billing may also be provided.
According to another business method of the invention, the web site operator may assist the restaurant in targeted marketing campaigns. As discussed above, one way in which this may be done is via email on user""s profile information, demographic information, and other information about the user. The web site operator may charge a fee (for example, $0.25 per email) for conducting the targeted campaign for a particular restaurant or a restaurant chain.
The auction listing process may include several features to facilitate and simplify the process. For example, a registered restaurant or restaurant chain may set up an auction that occurs at regularly scheduled intervals until canceled. Alternatively, various restaurant specific information may be stored and used in connection with each auction posted, and only the terms to be varied need to be addressed by the restaurant. For example, when a new auction is created, an item description may be provided by the restaurant. A set of restrictions may then be applied. The restrictions may specify when the certificate is valid. For example, the restaurant can specify the dates, day, month, year for which the period begins and the day, month, year and hour the validity expires. The restaurant may also identify the retail value of the certificate or other benefit(s) to be auctioned. The restaurant may then specify a starting bid amount, for example, at least one third of the retail value or other amount specified by the restaurant. The restaurant may specify the quantity of certificates to be auctioned for that particular auction. The restaurant may further specify the duration of the auction. For example, the auction may be opened for several hours, several days or other time period.
During an auction set up, the restaurant may also specify a recurrence of the auction. For example, the restaurant may select from daily, weekly, every two weeks, monthly or any other period, or may specify that it is a one time auction only.
According to another aspect of the invention, an instant purchase feature may be used. The instant purchase feature may enable a restaurant to specify a fixed dollar amount for which, the user may buy the certificate without participating in the auction. For example, if a $50.00 certificate has a $20.00 minimum bid, an auction may proceed on that basis. However, a restaurant may wish to also provide some $50.00 certificate with an instant purchase feature of $35.00 so that any user who wishes to purchase the certificate immediately for $35.00 may do so without waiting for the conclusion of an auction.
According to another business method of the invention, optional features may be provided to generate premium fees for the web site operator. These optional features may enable a restaurant to increase the prominence of the display of its auction versus other auctions hosted by the web site for a fee. For example, a restaurant may display a bold-faced title to its auction for a fee. According to another feature, a particular auction may be highlighted within a particular category (for example, cuisine, city, etc.) According to another feature, certain auctions may be listed on the home page of the web site so that users see these particular auctions immediately without having to search through listings. Each of these features, or combination thereof, along with additional features may be used thereby generating additional revenue.
The process of providing the winning bidders with an auction certificate or other redemption techniques may be accomplished in a variety of ways. For example, according to one embodiment, electronic certificates may be downloaded by or to the winner or emailed to the winner upon completion of the auction. The winner may then print the certificate and present the certificate to the restaurant and redeem it for value. Preferably, if this method is used, the certificate may include the relevant information including the dates of validity, any payment required, the auction winner""s name, etc. After dining, the value of the dining certificate is credited to the diner""s bill. If the certificate is not pre-paid in a manner described above, the user may pay for the certificate and any balance due at the same time upon completion of the meal.
According to another embodiment, upon successfully winning an auction, an electronic certificate may be sent to the restaurant and/or the winner. If an electronic certificate is sent to the restaurant, the user may simply inform the restaurant that there is a certificate for the user and that amount may be credited automatically to the user""s bill so that the user does not need to have a printed certificate. Various other options may be used.
If the certificates are paid for by the winner at the time of the certificate redemption, a mechanism may be established to enable the web site to receive an attendance report or other information to enable it to bill the restaurant for whatever service fee was agreed upon for the auction service.
Certificate sales may be monitored using a sales history option on the web site. This information may be stored by restaurant, by chain, or by other features. The information in the sales history portion may include the number of bidders, any associated time period, the number of certificates sold, the average closing price for each auction or auctions occurring at various times, days, weeks, etc., and the percent of the retail value for which the certificates were sold during a specified period. This information may be presented in various formats including tables, charts, etc.
In addition to increasing sales at restaurants or other establishments by reducing excess capacity, the present invention may provide useful aggregated information to restaurants regarding its customers. For example, a current stats feature may be provided to enable a restaurant to examine aggregate data on all the users who have bid on its auctions or bought one or more certificates. Restaurants may also create surveys to obtain custom information by premium data on competitors"" customers.
Customers statistics provide insight to the customer""s habits and dining preferences, thereby suggesting ways to more effectively tailor future promotional campaigns. For example, without limitation, the customer statistics may include gender, age, industry/occupation, annual income, zip code, distance from home to restaurant, frequency of dining out, number of bids placed (by restaurant or total), favorite way to learn a promotion (e.g., email, snailmail, telephone, TV ad, radio ad, print ad, on-line ad, or other ways), price sensitivity information (e.g., how much a person cares about getting a good deal when they eat).
The targeted marketing campaign may be facilitated through the web site. For example a restaurant may buy access to email lists and add space on on-line notices to tailor their marketing to customers likely to be interested in such promotions. The web site may include a promotions management module that enables restaurants to implement these and other features. For example, the promotions management feature may include a section to enable a restaurant to create an email promotion. This may enable a restaurant to create a target campaign and send it to customers by email or other delivery mechanisms. The restaurant may create a web promotion by buying premium space on the web site including selected portions of the auctions and category home pages. Restaurants can also create customized messages that enable the web site users to see these messages as they browse through the site.
Each restaurant""s account information including current statement, statement archives, restaurant profiles and contact information may be maintained by the site as well.
According to another aspect of the invention, the website of the present invention and the promotion features may be linked in to a restaurant reservation system. In this way, more detailed information may be obtained about a restaurant""s capacity, the effectiveness of auctions, and historical trends can be discerned. Other benefits may be obtained as well. For example, on successfully winning an auction and being notified, a user may use the web site to request an on-line reservation.
According to another aspect of the invention, the system may offer incentives that may be obtained without participation in an auction. Users may be interested in using the incentive right away and may desire an instant incentive, instead of waiting for an auction to be completed. According to one embodiment, a user may submit one or more incentive requests for selected restaurants along with certain dining parameters. These requests may be processed by or for the restaurants to determine if a dining incentive should be issued to the user. For example, via the web-site, a user may select one or more restaurants from a list of participating restaurants and enter various dining parameters. Each selected restaurant may then determine whether or not to accept the incentive request, based on the user entered dining parameters and other information. If the restaurant decides to accept the request, a dining incentive may be offered to the user. Restaurants may process each incentive request on an individual or batch basis. Also, each restaurant may create customized rules that are stored in the processing system of the present invention where these customized rules are applied to each incentive request or a group of requests. By using restaurant""s customized rules the system may automatically decide whether to accept or reject the incentive requests, determine incentives to offer, and perform other operations.
According to another aspect of the invention, incentives may be issued by the system without a paper certificate. Customers may desire to avoid having a paper certificate or coupon that may get lost. Therefore, the incentive may be issued to the customer electronically. For example, according to one method, the incentive information may be stored with a payment processing system associated with the restaurant. For example, the customer may supply payment information in order to receive an incentive. When that payment information is input at the restaurant, the incentive is automatically retrieved due to the association with the payment information. The incentive may then be automatically deducted from the amount to be charged. If the payment information is a credit card number, the system may employ a fulfillment process that enables a customer to pay the dining bill with a registered credit card (where the credit card number is provided at the time the incentive request is made). According to one embodiment, the credit card charge (which is the full amount of the bill for the meal) is processed so that the incentive amount is credited back to the user, a fee is paid to the web-site operator and the balance is paid to the restaurant. The customer may then receive a confirmation message (e.g., via e-mail) informing the customer that the registered credit card has been credited by a discounted percentage or amount agreed to by the customer. With that message, the user may be queried about the dining experience to get specific feedback. This eliminates the need to present a certificate and provides other advantages.
Other object and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the specification herein.